Violence against police could soon be hate crime in Texas

[Jusme]

I see this as an added charge for an assault on a peace officer.

It is already Aggravated Assault. (possibly attempted capital murder) If they want to increase the penalty for it occurring to LEO, why not just amend that statute?

While I agree that we should do all we can to protect police officers, I don't see this as being more of a deterrent. JMHO

A man walks up and punches a cop you could charge him with assault on a peace officer and hate crime or whatever they will call this law in the penal code.

That's true, but, my point being, if being charged with Aggravated Assault, isn't enough of a deterrent, what will adding on a separate charge do, that can't be done, simply by increasing the penalty of the Agg. Assault? If someone is going to attack a police officer, they probably don't care that they will also be charged with a hate crime. There is no burden of proof for motive, in the Aggravated Assault statute, so why try to pass a law that would require one? Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly, if any one of these criteria are met, then the charge can be applied. There is no need to delve into a person's emotions. JMHO.

It's not going to be a deterrent for some scumbag. The only purpose it will serve is to keep the scumbag locked up awhile longer.

You can accomplish the same thing by amending the penalty, Agg Assault Peace officer, to require either a mandatory sentence, or a longer sentence.

[thatguyoverthere]

As a society we need to stop this trend of adding "hate crime laws". There are already laws in place for the crimes, they just need to be prosecuted and harsh sentencing applied to convicted criminals.

I agree. If it's a crime, it's a crime, period.

[srothstein]

Better yet, how about having laws that treat everyone equally; if the penalty for assault isn't high enough to cover assaulting a nun, the President or a cop, increase the penalty across the board.

I agree. I understand that attacking some people, such as cops or judges, because of their job is also a generalized attack on our societal systems. I still feel that there is too much special class legislation going on, including the extra penalties for cops, or for kids, or for politicians or the minorities. It leads to too much of the allowances for those same classes, such as carrying pistols places the other citizens cannot.

[WildBill]

Better yet, how about having laws that treat everyone equally; if the penalty for assault isn't high enough to cover assaulting a nun, the President or a cop, increase the penalty across the board.

I agree. I understand that attacking some people, such as cops or judges, because of their job is also a generalized attack on our societal systems. I still feel that there is too much special class legislation going on, including the extra penalties for cops, or for kids, or for politicians or the minorities. It leads to too much of the allowances for those same classes, such as carrying pistols places the other citizens cannot.

I disagree with the whole concept of "hate crime".

[sheary]

I disagree with the whole concept of "hate crime".

It's sad to see Gov. Abbott abandon conservative principles and put feelings ahead of logic.

[Rex B]

I disagree with the whole concept of "hate crime".

with your disagreement

[Beiruty]

Assassinating Police Officer evokes Capital punishment for the offender. Improving the law means one thing, execution is in 1-yr.

[bulinm]

I oppose any and all so-called hate crime legislation. What we already have should be repealed, now.

[locke_n_load]

No special treatment for anyone. We are all citizens.

[AJSully421]

Hate crime?!?!?!

I don't commit a violent crime against ANYONE because I love them so darn much... I beat up or shoot someone because I hate the everliving, everloving, tar out of them.

All violent crime is a hate crime. Stop being stupid and wasting time on feel good measures that accomplish nothing.

[WTR]

I can see where some murders might be due to hate and others not. However, I believe all murders are heinous and should be treated equally.

[Texas_Blaze]

Hate crimes are an invention of the deranged liberal mind. no thanks.

[Rex B]

Hate crime is thoughtcrime.

It's Orwellian.

[talltex]

I disagree with the whole concept of "hate crime".

with your disagreement

Absolutely ! The entire concept of "hate crime" offenses is wrong. The crime is the crime...it shouldn't matter who you are or what sub-group you are defined to be part of. Everyone' s life is their life, and it is worth just as much to them and their family as anyone else's. There are already special enhanced laws to protect certain groups...including all LEOs...that I disagree with strongly. I don't think it should be an enhanced penalty just because someone touches an officer while being arrested even if there is no harm done to the officer just to "send a message" to the citizens that you cannot resist. There is already a law that has been in place for years..."resisting arrest". That should be sufficient. If someone takes an elbow in the ribs or a punch that is "aggravated assault"...it doesn't hurt the person more because he is an officer than an average Joe. Probably the elbow to the ribs much less because of protective gear. I'm simply not in favor of ANY group having enhanced charges. If I get hit, pushed,shoved, or shot, I'm at the same risk of injury and pain as any of the "protected" classes that fall under the "hate crimes" sub groups.

[baseballguy2001]

The legislation will probably pass and get singed into law. This just proves that statists are on both sides of the aisle. If a hypothetical cop-killer is caught, tried, and convicted, how much more punishment can one get besides the death penalty without removing any appeals? All this will do is add another protected class of people and more burden to the already overburdened tax payer.